food and family

I’m Katie, I live in Scotland with my husband and two sons, one is five and the other just a baby. I love to cook for my family and blog about the things I make and we eat.

Turning a meal into a feast

It’s often too easy for me to lose perspective and forget gratitude. Life is busy and full and sometimes it feels overwhelming. I all too easily forget how fortunate I am, that my life is busy and full because of the many lovely people and opportunities that have come my way in the last few years. I forget how much I prefer it this way to a life that often used to feel lonely and empty. I start to feel that life is one set of problems after another demanding my attention. When I feel like this I need to slow down, look around me and look again for the things that I am thankful for and there are plenty. I find writing gratitude lists a useful habit at times like these and can recommend it to anyone feeling a bit underwhelmed by what they feel they have and overwhelmed by what they feel they have to cope with. My lists change from day to day, they generally include the big things like health and family along with an ever changing appreciation of small things that make the world more lovely like unexpectedly bumping into a friend or a new tablecloth or a sunny autumn afternoon.

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” Melody Beattie

I’ve had a week where I felt almost swept away by worry and confusion. Thankfully a friend’s good counsel has got me back on track and everything in my head has once again begun to assume its proper size. I sometimes worry I sound smug on here, I hope not, I’m just very thankful that my life is the way that it is today. Anyway, today I’m grateful for a lovely, supportive husband, a freshly painted kitchen, people taking the time to read this blog and the discovery of a dish that pretty much combines stew and scones – two things I already liked very much individually.

Stir in the flour, cook for 30 seconds, then crumble the 1/2 chicken stock cube into 300ml boiling water and stir in the peas and cream.

Season well.

In a bowl, mix together the cobbler ingredients and season.

Turn out onto a generously floured surface and gently roll to about 2cm thickness.

Use a cutter to cut rounds (just like if you were making scones) and sit them on top of the chicken stew. Brush the cobbler pieces with milk and then bake for 15-20 minutes, until cooked and the cobbler is risen and golden brown.

I think I’m in a similar place quite often at the mo. It’s good to take stock sometimes and see that what you have around you is actually pretty amazing. I love the look of this cobbler, definite soul food. I look forward to trying it on my brood. Thanks for sharing.

I’ve just popped over from justb’s Share Your Blog post and have enjoyed reading back through your posts. So much of what you write strikes a cord with me – the loss of your dad, your admiration for Nigel Slater, the great swede v turnip debate, the reference to Byres Road. You also cook the food I like to eat. I’ve had a good time and will be sure to return. Thanks.

We had this tonight and it was enjoyed by all. I swapped the cream for 1/2 fat creme fraiche to make it a little more waistline friendly, and as I’m not a huge fan of peas I put half the amount of peas and made the volume up with chopped mushrooms. It was lovely, and Carly had a big plateful too.